


Rewritten

by jestwane (transience)



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: A little angst, Alternate Universe - Canon, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, No kagami, Teikou Era, Unhealthy Relationships, ahem haikise, akashi and kuroko are neighbours, akashi's eye thing still happens, climbing out windows, hints of past, hints of self harm, kise is sick in one of the chapters and akashi visits, kise moves in, kuroko moves out, violin playing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-22
Updated: 2015-06-24
Packaged: 2018-03-14 14:03:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3413372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/transience/pseuds/jestwane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tetsuya barely looks up, and instead hugs his knees tighter, and buries his face even more. The small shudders of sobs don’t still, though, and Akashi shuffles nearer before crouching down, and placing an arm around Tetsuya.<br/>“It’s okay to cry here, no one will know but I.”<br/>Saying ‘it’s okay to cry’ would be hypocritical after all, he was an Akashi, and Akashis were raised to not show any weakness. But his statement had the intended effect. Tetsuya curls into Akashi, and small hands pull at his collar, and all the while Akashi gives Tetsuya little pats on the back and strokes of the hair that he himself had only had experience of in his imagination.<br/>//<br/>But Akashi keeps his promise, challenges Tetsuya, teaches Tetsuya, guides Tetsuya, all while maintaining the distance befitting a captain of the Miracles no less. Tetsuya is oddly pleased when he surpasses Akashi’s expectations, and Akashi is pleased that Aomine is rarely seen with Tetsuya in those few weeks.<br/>//<br/>...Kuroko neglects to tell him that he would be moving the next day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Under the stars

The neighbourhood Akashi grew up in was quiet, and the houses were all crammed together, with little space in between. Most of the housing on the island are high-rise buildings, skyscrapers towering over 30 storeys high, clustering around the city centre. Everything was quick nowadays, and everything was close.

His neighbourhood was one of the few that still had terraced houses or private land, although it was situated rather far from the bustling city, to their preference. Akashi’s family owned 5 plots of land, and could still afford some illusion of space, having a stretch of garden at the front where Akashi sometimes played. They also left some space at the back, but not much, for who would see anyway? Seijuurou would never wake up to sunlight streaming into his window, and it wasn’t only because he woke up far too early before sunrise, but because his window is barely a metre away from the façade of the Kurokos’ house.

Honestly speaking, the Kurokos could never have afforded such a house nowadays. Were they to sell it, they would easily be a few million richer, but they were strict on tradition, and despite their slowly slipping into poverty, were determined to keep the house. And clean it was, despite not being as well-maintained as the Akashi residence.

* * *

 

It was in the lazy hours of the afternoon, whence the adults were all away and most of the kids asleep, that Akashi hears sniffling outside his window. He was playing his violin, shirt sleeves rolled up in the heat, but a black vest donned for the sake of family formalities.  The window was open, to promote what ventilation it could in the still, heavy, warm air. Akashi sets down his bow and violin, and walks to the window, confirming what he already knew.

Tetsuya, the boy who occupied the house behind his own, the boy who was his age, was perched outside small outcropping ‘roof’ that juts out the back of his house. Not knowing why it compelled him to move, Akashi slips out his own window and lands gently on the small ‘roof’, hiss dress shirt tucking itself out, and flaring at the back. Tetsuya barely looks up, and instead hugs his knees tighter, and buries his face even more. The small shudders of sobs don’t still, though, and Akashi shuffles nearer before crouching down, and placing an arm around Tetsuya.

_“It’s okay to cry here, no one will know but I.”_

Saying ‘it’s okay to cry’ would be hypocritical after all, he was an Akashi, and Akashis were raised to not show any weakness. But his statement had the intended effect. Tetsuya curls into Akashi, and small hands pull at his collar, and all the while Akashi gives Tetsuya little pats on the back and strokes of the hair that he himself had only had experience of in his imagination.

But he was always right, and Kuroko pulls away not long after, eyes still rimmed red, but no longer tearing.

 _“Th-thank you, Akashi-kun,”_ Kuroko says, to which Akashi smiles, just a bit.

_“Why were you crying?”_

_“I… we are going to start school next week, but Teiko is… my family can’t send me…”_

Kuroko starts to sniff once more, and Akashi pulls him close, murmuring reassurances until Kuroko dozes off. Akashi slides the window open, and deposits Tetsuya comfortably into his bed, before climbing back up to his own room.

* * *

 

The next week, the Akashi car pulls up in front of the Kuroko drive way, and Kuroko and Akashi make the journey to Teiko after Akashi reassuring the Kurokos how it’s really no trouble. It is in that car, with the partition down to separate the driver from the two boys in the back seat, where Akashi can finally let his guard down. In the mornings, a drowsy Kuroko would lay on Akashi’s lap as Akashi consumes his breakfast. Somehow not a crumb lands on Tetsuya’s face, even when Akashi strokes Tetsuya’s bangs aside while he eats.

Akashi requests that the driver drop them off a little ways from school, and every day he rouses Tetsuya and neatens his hair and rumpled clothes before they walk into school.

They were in the same classroom, and Akashi is unanimously voted as the class president, even with Tetsuya’s vote constantly being overlooked by the teacher. Midorima Shintaro, tall, bespectacled, and mildly eccentric is nominated vice-president by Akashi himself, perhaps for personal amusement alone, and Tetsuya is content with staying out of the class committee altogether, as Akashi already knows.

Despite the rides to and from school, and sharing the same class, basketball and other school activities inevitably drove them further apart. Akashi was in the first string, with Midorima, while Kuroko was in third, despite Akashi’s offers. After training, Akashi most often had duties in the student council, or shogi, or some other commitment, otherwise he would spend time playing shogi with Midorima. It was during these shogi matches in which Kuroko could see the rare gleam of interest in Akashi’s usually bored eyes that stray to the trees outside class, or the ripples in a classmate’s waterbottle. Kuroko did not know what to make of the strange feeling in his chest, so he plays basketball to forget, as he always does.

* * *

 

In enters Aomine and this time it is Akashi who looks away every time he passes the gym to hear cheers of “Tetsu!” and a softer “Aomine-kun” amidst bouncing of balls. Strange, he could almost see Kurokos'ss eyes gleam, and the small smile that nevertheless reaches his eyes.

Kuroko swears that Akashi set up his meeting Aomine, just to give him an excuse to promote him into first string. Akashi walks into the gym aside Murasakibara and Midorima, but Kuroko knows from the look in his eye that Akashi knew just who was practicing. Akashi had always noticed him, and the smirk that makes an appearance on the redhead’s face when Murasakibara and Midorima startle at his supposed lack of presence.

But Akashi keeps his promise, challenges Kuroko, teaches Kuroko, guides Kuroko, all while maintaining the distance befitting a captain of the generation of miracles no less. Kuroko is oddly pleased when he surpasses Akashi’s expectation, and Akashi is pleased that Aomine is rarely seen with Kuroko in those few weeks.

* * *

 

There was one time when Akashi falls asleep in Kuroko’s lap on the ride back home. It had been a gruelling day. Two consecutive basketball matches, the demanding practice, tutoring, shogi with Midorima, and a variety of school duties, not to mention planning for the school carnival the following week. Kuroko feels guilty for it was he who kept Akashi up the night before, sharing his concerns about Aomine and all their team members’ blooming talents under the stars but atop the roof of the Kuroko residence. And Akashi had listened, Kuroko saw it in the way his head was tilted just so, the way his shoulders were relaxed, the way he made no move to brush his bangs out of his eyes.

They boarded the car as per normal, a block away from school, but even Kuroko could notice the slight pauses in Akashi’s steps, the more frequent blinks. And in the backseat he makes no objections as Akashi’s head falls lower and lower, and his body leans closer and closer towards Kuroko’s shoulders.

 

“Kuroko,” Akashi murmurs, as Kuroko gently settles his head onto his lap. But then his eyes flutter closed, and his breaths attain the regular rhythm of sleep.

 

**_Kuroko neglects to tell him that he would be moving the next day._ **


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kuroko leaves as Kise enters Akashi's life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> > No light, no light
>> 
>> _In your bright blue eyes_
>> 
>> _I never knew daylight could be so violent_
>> 
>> _A revelation in the light of day_
>> 
>> _You can't choose what stays and what fades away_
>> 
>> _And I'd do anything to make you stay_
>> 
>> No light, no light
>> 
>> _Tell me what you want me to say_
> 
> No Light by Florence and the Machine 

Kuroko doesn’t think he can forget the look on Akashi’s face, early in the morning just as he walks out of his house to see the Kurokos tailing the van that proclaimed “MOVING” in big bold letters. Akashi’s eyes widened in an expression one could call surprise or confusion, had it come from anyone but Akashi, but the expression quickly warped into something more akin to betrayal. Kuroko looks away then, resting his head against the door of the vehicle and shutting his eyes, trying to get Akashi’s face out of his mind.

The Kurokos were finally forced into selling their house.

* * *

 

Akashi watches the bright blue mop of hair against the retreating window, and struggles to school his features into his normal indifference. He can feel the tightness in his arms as he clenches his fists too hard, his legs as he keeps them from shaking, his eyes as he tries to rein in the tears.

No avail. A tear trails down his left eye. Then a second.  
Akashi turns as the van turns the corner, taking Tetsuya with it, and closes the door.

The Akashis couldn’t get him to open his door for 3 days. It is the first time, and the last, that Seijuurou misses school.

* * *

 

It is Sunday, and Seijuurou is perched on his window latch for old time’s sake, playing a quick vicious tune on his violin. The strings had already snapped twice the previous day, and he tries to tone his movements down a little. No more tears had come, just a horrible aching emptiness that seemed to eat at him and only grow as the day passed.

Suddenly, Akashi becomes aware of a presence watching him from the opposite window. He sets down his violin, and is met with two comically huge amber orbs. He tilts his head curiously, and a strange pang shoots through him when he realises it should be Tetsuya there, waving at him, not- not-

Akashi waves back tentatively, and jumps down as he sees the blond struggling to get the window open.

“It slides, not-“

The blond flies out the window in an almost literal sense, and Akashi would have fallen if not from years of honing his balance.

“Can I try?” The blond asks, inquisitive.

Akashi saw no harm in that, and climbs back up to his apartment to get the violin.

“Come on up,” he says.

The new boy, he finds, is different from Tetsuya in the way he easily scales the distance between their houses, and also in the fact that he was slightly taller than him, which annoyed Akashi to no end. Kise Ryouta, as he later introduced himself as, was also rich. Not as rich as the Akashi family, of course, but far from where the Kurokos had stood, even with the house. He was a model since young, he shares, among millions of pointless details in the sparse minutes in which Akashi hands him the violin. Honestly, Akashi didn’t realise anyone could speak this much.

Kise raises the bow, and plays.

“You’re not bad, have you played before?” Akashi asks.

“No, this is my first time. I’m not as good as Akashicchi though,” Kise murmurs sheepishly.

Akashi startles at the –cchi, but decides it’s alright, especially since it was far from Tetsuya’s soft Akashi-kun.

“And you memorised the song just be watching me earlier?” Akashi asks, regarding Kise differently.

The latter just nods.

They talk for a while, and Kise hardly needed any prodding to spill all his worries and grievances about his ‘tragic’ life, sharing his story of how he had always been able to pick up things uncannily quickly.

“I have a proposition for you,” Akashi says, after a thoughtful pause.

The blonde quirks at that.

“Join the basketball team with me.”

Kise nearly falls out the window.

* * *

s

 

Akashi is never wrong, and the next evening Kise couldn’t shut up about “Aominecchi is so cool omg his formless shots do you think I can beat him on one on one?”

Akashi thinks about how Kuroko had been worrying about Aomine having an equal, and has to turn away for a while.

“…Akashicchi?”

Akashi thinks that the blond was sometimes too perceptive for his own good, yet maybe he too understood. After all, Akashi did see some sadness in his eyes in those rare moments where Kise wasn’t smiling or talking or laughing.

* * *

 

“I want to go one-on-one against Akashicchi,” Kise declares one day, when only the two of them were left in the gym.

“Hmm?” Akashi is confused at the odd request. Nonetheless, he grabs a ball, and instantly scores.

“Akashicchi!!!!!!!!!!!! No fair!!!!!!!”

Akashi merely smiles, getting into a defensive position, “Your move, Kise.”

Kise loses zero to five. Kise smiles at every shot that Akashi steals, and each time the redhead blows past him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for shorter chapter  
> 


	3. Chapter 3

 

Kise, Kuroko, and Akashi were hardly alike.

Kise had a propensity for mindless chatter, while Kuroko was straightforward when he did speak, and Akashi knew he himself spoke differently to different people. Sometimes to command, sometimes to charm, sometimes just to converse for the sake of mere formalities with his father’s colleagues.

Their physical builds had also differed greatly. Kuroko was the weakest of them, and after weeks of observing Kise’s play, Akashi knows that he himself outranked Kise in terms of physical prowess. But Kise was tall and bursting with energy, and shone in the court in a way Akashi cannot. There was a difference between an ace and a captain, and Akashi knows this all too well.

Akashi really should have seen it coming, knowing Kise’s tendency to be over-excited and push himself too far. This time it is Akashi who goes over to the Kises’ house, raising the ornate knocker and bringing it down thrice. He steps back and the door opens to a young blond woman, who beams at him.

“Ah! You must be Ryouta’s new friend!”

The woman, who Akashi recognises to be one of Kise’s sisters, opens the door wider, and gestures up the staircase.

“Second door to your right!”

 

* * *

 

“I can’t believe Akashicchi came all the way here to visit me!!!” Kise exclaims.

“Kise, my house is right next door.”

“Stilllllll Akashicchi really didn’t have to.”

“It was no bother, besides, I have your homework.”

Kise’s face falls.

Akashi knows Kise is intelligent. He has seen amber eyes glittering dangerously in his last one-on-one with Aomine, the reason Kise is unable to play for a week at least.

“Does it still hurt?” Akashi asks, pulling over a chair silently by Kise’s bedside.

“Eh, I’ve been through worse, I’m used to it now,” Kise replies, shifting his leg slightly.

When Kise reaches up to take the stack of papers Akashi had brought with him however, his shirt rides up, and Akashi doesn’t miss the parallel lines of scars that were etched into his skin at hips hips, disappearing into his shorts, and neither does he miss the discoloration at Kise’s gut that was the same colour as an old bruise.

Akashi tightens his hold on the papers. As Kise’s gaze snaps up, he seems to realise what was plaguing Akashi’s thoughts and his eyes widen.

“It’s not what it looks like!! I… I-“

“-Would you like to learn how to play the violin?” Akashi asks.

Kise seems shocked, but his visage settles into one of relief.

“O-okay.”

* * *

 

Akashi slides the window open, hopping into the ledge outside his own ajar window. Akashi knows about depression and self-harm, more than most adults do, but he also knows Kise would talk when he was ready. He grabs his violin case, before carefully making it back into Kise’s room. Kise sits on the bed, a pensive look on his face. As Akashi approaches, Kise throws aside his sheets, crossing his good leg. Akashi notes the lines of scars that peek out of his loose shorts, stopping a few inches above his knees.

“Can you play that song you were playing the other day?” Kise asks, slightly hesitant.

Akashi is mildly surprised. He’d have pegged Kise for the type that would ask of him to play the most extravagant or technical piece he knows, or the latest pop hit, not a _Kiss the Rain/The River Flows in You medley_. Obliging him, Akashi raises the bow, and he plays.

Halfway through, Akashi realises Kise’s eyes were shut and welling with tears, and Akashi pauses, drawing near.

Kise’s eyes snap open, and they are shining and he is smiling. “Thank you Akashicchi, that was beautiful.”

Akashi smiles, handing the violin over to Kise.

* * *

They spent the whole afternoon playing one song after another. Sometimes Akashi would play a harder piece, watching Kise replicate it, adjusting his grip and posture occasionally. Sometimes he would play something he had heard on the radio, ranging from Fall Out Boy to The Fray to Taylor Swift to Green Day, and watch as Kise turns the song into his own, adding additional flourishes as and when he pleased.

As Akashi plays the ending notes of “Say When”, Kise starts to speak.

“…In my old school, there was this guy and he…” Kise laughs softly, gesturing at his stomach. “Haizaki, he would hurt me sometimes, he hurt a lot of people but he hated me because I was better at him in everything. He made my friends hate me and… I just couldn’t handle it.”

Akashi sets down his violin on Kise’s bedside table, and watches as he sees his cheerful innocent classmate break into this Kise. Children in the spotlight often grew up all too quickly, and Akashi could see that Kise was unlike any normal child his age. Facing Kise on his bed, Akashi grasps both of Kise’s hands.

“I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

* * *

Akashi leaves through the door, this time. It would only be polite. Kise’s sister opens the door and sees him out with a small smile, a wink, and a “Come back soon!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't really like this chapter but I had to write something or else I don't know when I'm ever going to continue this fic D:


	4. Gold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kise worries as Murasakibara announces his disappointment. He remembers how in the recent months Akashi had turned him down for a one on one, or waving away tapping at his window, gesturing at the tall stacks of paper arranged on his desk and mouthing ‘father’ or ‘work’.
> 
> For once, he cannot read Akashi’s expression at all.
> 
> xxx
> 
> He speaks differently, he stands differently, he moves differently. How could this be his Akashi Seijuurou? Kise throws a frantic glance at Midorima, but Midorima seems shocked himself, his porcelain cat lying quartered on the floor, viridian eyes wide open. 
> 
> It scares Kise, this not-Akashi that Kise doesn’t know.

Kise is used to change.

His job as a model did mean moving around a lot, be it for promotional events or photo shoots. His sisters had also been models before him – still were – so Kise had had plenty of time to get used to the change that ruled his life. It carried over from his work into his life though. Such rapid change made school life seem boring in comparison, and combined with Kise’s talent that allowed him to master almost anything at the drop of a hat… Kise was bored, and he moved through school clubs as hungry as a wildfire to find something that would catch his interest.

He gives up, soon enough.

* * *

 

After moving, Kise meets Akashi, and he knows that Akashi was indubitably special.

He sees the deadly sharp intelligence simmering in red eyes, he sees the confidence and self-assurance flowing from him with each and every move, he sees all the minute facial movements, the quirk of the lip, or slight raise of the brows when Akashi plays, he sees red eyes gleaming with expectations and happiness as he played Kise. Whatever Akashi may say, he did love basketball, or at least his team. Perhaps that was why Kise still catches Akashi gazing at the one empty locker in the gym room with a strange expression.

Kise had also thought that Aomine was different, that basketball was different. And he was blissful after finding a challenge. He and Aomine were alike in that sense, they love a challenge. But nothing could have prepared him for the changes that were to come…

* * *

Kise and Aomine were also alike in the sense that they were too good – Kise in everything else, Aomine in basketball.

Even when the others had started to bloom into a greater magnificence, Aomine finds himself lacking a challenge, and Kise simply finds himself lacking. He knows that he was still the weakest out of the team, and really, Murasakibara would have more ease in stopping Aomine with his blocks, even Midorima’s defense would be above Kise’s level. But neither Murasakibara not Midorima were the type to battle it out on the court until only the sound of the ball, heaving chests and shoes against the court could be heard, and any scenario involving Aomine and either of them would only be awkward.

Aomine himself had acknowledged Akashi as a possible equal, but Akashi wasn’t the type to show all his cards in an unofficial match. Furthermore, asking it of him seems inappropriate, especially with the faint eyebags that are starting to make regular guest appearances on Akashi’s face. (Strange, Kise finds no trouble asking Akashi for a one-on-one, but putting Aomine’s fluid power against Akashi’s efficient skill makes him uneasy.)

But of course the one to trigger such changes had to be Aomine, racing way ahead. Kise brings it up to Akashi, mentions Aomine’s seeming lack of passion, lethargy, skipping practice. Akashi had probably noticed even before Kise had told him, but he merely answers with a small tired smile. “Give him time,” Akashi had said. “Aomine loves too deeply to stay away for too long. He’ll come back sooner or later.”

Then Akashi walks out of the gym, the door swinging behind him. Kise stifles the disappointment rising in him.

Akashi did not have to stay, Akashi did not have to wait for him. This is what Kise tells himself.

 

* * *

 

A week finds Kise staring in awe and horror as a match between Murasakibara unfolds in front of his eyes.

 

 

> 0-1

Kise can see betrayal in Akashi’s eyes.

 

> 0-2

Akashi’s eyes are wider than usual, Kise thinks.

 

> 0-3

Akashi’s breathing is more rapid than it is during the harshest of drills, or the most intense of practice games.

 

> 0-4

Kise worries as Murasakibara announces his _disappointment_. He remembers how in the recent months Akashi had turned him down for a one on one, or waving away tapping at his window, gesturing at the tall stacks of paper arranged on his desk and mouthing ‘father’ or ‘work’.

For once, he cannot read Akashi’s expression at all.

The court is silent.

 

> 1-4
> 
> 2-4
> 
> 3-4
> 
> 4-4

The court is silent.

 

> 5-4

The ball falls through the hoop as cleanly as a thread through the eyehole of a needle. Akashi floats to the ground, Murasakibara not even close. Akashi turns around, and he is different. He burns with an aura that overpowers, pushing against instead of supporting.

It scares Kise, this not-Akashi that Kise doesn’t know.

* * *

 

 

“Who are you?”

“I am Akashi Seijuurou, of course.”

 

* * *

 

He speaks differently, he stands differently, he moves differently. How could this be his Akashi Seijuurou? Kise throws a frantic glance at Midorima, but Midorima seems shocked himself, his porcelain cat lying quartered on the floor, viridian eyes wide open. The other members start to chatter, but they disperse eventually.

Aomine chooses the worst time to come in, just as Akashi tells Murasakibara he need not come to practice as long as he performs in games.

“Ehhhh??! I c-“

Akashi turns his gaze toward Aomine, and he stops speaking. Akashi’s left eye is cold metallic gold.

“Daiki. Play against me.”

Aomine seems taken aback for a moment, but he picks up a ball from nearby and starts dribbling. It is the first time Kise sees him grin, interested, in a long time.

“You sure Akashi? You’ve just played with Murasakibara.”

“Yes.”

Aomine dashes forward with a yet unmatched speed, but as he blows past Akashi, the ball disappears from his hands. Akashi twists to the side, and shoots a perfect arc into the hoop before Daiki is able to recover.

 

> 1-0

Akashi starts, and Aomine follows his every move with his instincts and reach, but Akashi changed his direction so abruptly, and Aomine finds himself unable to follow. His feet were pointing in the wrong direction, his whole body weight in the opposite direction to Akashi’s motion. He executes a lay-up flawlessly, with Aomine steps behind him.

 

> 2-0

The next two points follow similarly. Aomine gets the ball on occasion, and sometimes even scores. But Akashi is always there under the net, and Aomine cannot leave the ground with the ball.

 

> 4-1

The one was a patch of sweat on the court that Aomine slips on, but manages to throw in the ball. Kise thinks he sees concern and a flicker of red come back into the golden eye as Aomine falls, but he could be mistaken.

 

> 5-1

Aomine was on the ground, with Akashi standing over him, the net swishing above them.

 

> “Whoa, did you see-?”
> 
> “Yeah, that dribble-“
> 
> “And then he just fell-“
> 
> “How did he-“

 

* * *

 

 

“I am absolute.”

 

* * *

Akashi turns to Aomine. “Daiki, there is no need to come to practice.”

Kise and Midorima are horrified.

Murasakibara munches on Umaibo, feigning disinterest.

 

The other basketball members disperse, Aomine and Murasakibara leave, Midorima claims half the court to shoot consecutive threes with a tense expression on his face. The threes don’t seem as high as they usually are, but they still go in. Akashi heads to the changing rooms, and Kise follows.

Kise gets a text. His family needs the car to send one of his sisters to a faraway shoot. He is asked to request a ride from Akashi.

 

“Akashi…”

Kise trails off. He does not know how to address this Akashi.

“Can I… hitch a ride from you today?” he asks tentatively.

 

Akashi turns a level gaze on him.

“Of course, Ryouta.”

Kise stiffens.

 

* * *

They walk out together. As they turn the corner into the side road a few blocks behind the school to where Akashi’s car is waiting, Kise asks, “Why did you… say that?”

“Say what?”

“That we don’t have to come to practice.”

“You don’t.”

“But we’re a team!”

“Teamwork is optional for us. Victory is what is important.”

Akashi’s eyes look ahead, but there is steel in his gaze, as if he intends to bring down every wall that lies in his way by looking at them alone.

"Why did you challenge Aomine?"

Akashi looks at him, really looks at him.

"You wanted me to. Also..."

Akashi's hand rests on Kise's shoulder, and he winces.

 

 

> It was after one of the times where Kise was trying to convince Aomine to go to practice. They had each bought a popsicle, Aomine's a light blue, Kise's a bright orange.
> 
> Kise can't remember what it is that he says that makes Aomine so angry, but two popsicles are on the steps, Kise sprawled over the same steps, watching Aomine's back run further and further away.
> 
> His chest burns where Aomine had shoved him, and his shoulder aches where he had landed.

 

* * *

The ride home is quiet, save for the tapping of keys on Akashi’s laptop.

“You shouldn’t type in the car, it’s bad for your eyes,” Kise blurts out.

“I’m all right, Ryouta.” Akashi’s typing doesn’t even slow. Kise sees Akashi’s eyes flit from side to side as he reads a wordy paragraph from one of his tabs.

 

…

 

“Are you really okay?” Kise asks.

This time, Akashi turns to him with a strange expression.

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

 

 

* * *

Kise barely talks to him until after they graduate, he makes sure he only leaves after Akashi does for school, and goes by the side gate. He never sees any of the Miracles talking to Akashi either, not even Midorima or Murasakibara, even when they pass him by the corridors.

 

 

Teiko is victorious in all their matches, as expected.


End file.
